Let's Install Linux on Moonlight's Spare Computer!

[Rockin Robbins]

Hey Moonlight! I hear you have a spare computer and would like to try an Operating System Which Is Not by Microsoft. And you asked for step by step instructions. So let's install Ubuntu Linux on that puppy!

It used to be that I surprised a lot of people by saying "Internet Explorer is a very useful browser!" And they would say "Say what???" And I'd say, "it's very useful for downloading Firefox or Chrome."

This is going to like that. We're going to use Windows to fetch its replacement. Shhhhh!

The first thing we'll do is sashay over to https://www.ubuntu.com/

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/The%20leading%20OS%20for%20PC%20tablet%20phone%20a nd%20cloud%20%20Ubuntu%20-%20Mozilla%20Firefox_051_zps0e3rletb.jpg

Now just click on Download. You'll get this page:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Get%20Ubuntu%20%20Download%20%20Ubuntu%20-%20Mozilla%20Firefox_052_zps4y6dysvk.jpg

Now if you scroll down you'll run into incomprehensible possibilities piled on top of each other. If you're not happy with being totally confused you can click on Ubuntu Flavors and check out all the different varieties of Ubuntu. It'll just make your head spin 360º. All that stuff can be left until later. Just click that down arrow in the orange circle beside where it says "Ubuntu Desktop."
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Download%20Ubuntu%20Desktop%20%20Download%20%20Ubu ntu%20-%20Mozilla%20Firefox_054_zpslfv1dw1d.jpg

Welcome to the teaser screen! You're asked to contribute toward the development of Ubuntu. But you aren't required to. Once you have it up and running you'll see that there are a lot worse ideas than sending them $20.00 for an operating system which is already where Windows should be at $100 a pop. But not now. Once they show you some value, THEN consider it. Click on "not now, take me to the download."
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_056_zpsruidlivu.jpg

And here you are! Save the file. Your desktop is a good place. I have a directory for ISO files. Just make sure you can find it.

What you are downloading is a disk image of an Ubuntu Live DVD. A live DVD is one that you can actually boot up and run the operating system right off the DVD. You can also install it from there. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Firefox tells me I have 13 minutes remaining. There are bit torrent downloads if you want it to go quicker. In a universe where software is free Torrent software has no stigma. It is as legitimate as marriage.

At any rate, the file you are downloading is somethingorother.iso. The extension .iso means that it is a disk image. By burning the disk image properly to a DVD we can produce a bootable DVD with Ubuntu on it. The Windows program I used to produce DVDs from disk images is ImgBurn. You can find it at imgburn.com (http://imgburn.com). This is absolutely free software equal to any commercial program you can buy.

Now I'm at a disadvantage, because lacking Windows I can't walk you through. Installing ImgBurn is straightforward from the website. Run it and at the top of the window you have a place to click to choose the iso file. Do that and select ubuntu-16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso. Insert a blank DVD -R or +R into your disk drive and select the button at the bottom to write it to the disk.

Now you have this little guy!
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/ubuntu%20disk_zpsftd5ew7x.jpg

Camera: Oh, you want a shot of a shelf sticker? What's that round thing messing up the foreground. It won't matter so much because it'll be out of focus.

So put him in the DVD drive of your spare computer and start it up. It is set up to boot from DVD isn't it? If not, do that first so it boots first from the DVD then the HD.

Click, click, burrrrrrrrrr! I'm doing this in a virtual machine so I can actually to through the install and show you how it all works. Please wait!

Choices, choices, choices! The disk boots up and gives you a choice:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Workspace%201_060_zpsoxnetrrs.jpg

Now I suggest you stab the button "Try Ubuntu." This will actually boot Ubuntu up on your computer so you can see it before it's ever installed. And then you can use Ubuntu to install Ubuntu. This is good because you can play Aisle Riot Solitaire while it installs instead of searching for navel lint. It's a much more constructive activity. So push Try Ubuntu now.

[Rockin Robbins]

Booting....booting......booting......takes awhile. DVDs are a lot slower than hard drives. But the fact that you can run the whole operating system off a DVD gives you incredible flexibility in repairing Windows! Later you can make a bootable USB drive and that is faster.

Here it is!
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Ubuntu%2016.04%20Running%20-%20Oracle%20VM%20VirtualBox_063_zps8vtxu5qb.jpg

I have Ubuntu running in a VirtualBox, so you don't see it quite full screen. I don't have a lot of time so I'm not cropping the image. Your screen will be filled with the purple window there.

You can play with Ubuntu without installing it. I'm going to continue this tomorrow evening so you will have time. Since Ubuntu is running entirely in a RAM disk, you can even install software in this DVD booted instance of Ubuntu.

Right click the desktop and look at the options. Click the swirly thing button on the top left and type aisleriot in the searchbox. Run it for a game of solitaire. You'll have to amuse yourself until tomorrow because I'm out of time for tonight. You can't do any harm. If you screw things up as soon as you shut your computer down it all vanishes forever!

[Rockin Robbins]

Here we are. Welcome to the Aperture Science Enrichment Center Testing Facility. Is anybody here? What were we doing? Yes, we were getting ready to install Ubuntu. We left poor Moonlight marooned with a foreign operating system, baffled by many intimidating alternatives. We were cruel. I apologize. After we are finished installing Ubuntu we need to talk. We will talk about what an operating system is. We will talk about what it should do. We will talk about what it should not do. Then we will talk about whether you would want to install Ubuntu alongside Windows on the same hard drive. Then there will be cake. We will have a party and there will be cake....:yep:

Ahem! I think we were looking at this screen:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Ubuntu%2016.04%20Running%20-%20Oracle%20VM%20VirtualBox_063_zps8vtxu5qb.jpg

So double-click the Install Ubuntu 16.04 icon (see, you already know how to use Ubuntu! Windows was a decent training ground).

And it will begin installing. While it is doing so it will give you some choices:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_066_zpsmxcbjnr7.jpg
Yup, select both of those.:D

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_067_zpsiqmmaevw.jpg

Yes, erase disk and install Ubuntu. I'm assuming that you have only one disk here. We can talk about alternative possibilities later.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_068_zps7qy3gfzr.jpg

I understand that this is a foreign language to you right now. Explanations will follow. Just be reassured that Ubuntu tells you what it's going to do and gives you the option to step back and do something else. Microsoft could learn from that!

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_069_zpsl8jdqydt.jpg
More questions. Click on your time zone and click Continue.

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If you use a different keyboard layout or language (Ubuntu tries to figure you out and give you the right default choices but also lets you override here). Then click Continue.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_071_zpsk44egetw.jpg
This should look familiar, but look at all the options you don't have with Windows! It judges you on password selection. Don't be intimidated. Press Continue.

Now as it installs you get to watch the dog and pony show sort of like Windows does during installation. But there's interesting stuff here and options to select to investigate things while you wait:

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_072_zpsuspins7k.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_074_zps4hvvqe2j.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_075_zpslysdtiml.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_076_zpsvenksdri.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_077_zpsmt2vqkjr.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_078_zpsqjnf2ujw.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Selection_079_zpskx7hmsqb.jpg

You'll have lots of time to explore all the splash screens. But finally you'll be told that the installation is complete and you must reboot to actually start using Ubuntu!

So as you do that and your computer begins functioning for the very first time without Windows at all, I leave you until tomorrow for the next installment.

The cake is a lie.

[Rockin Robbins]

Comments? Questions? In the absence of feedback, it's commentary time. I'll be adding to this post during the day while I'm at work, hopefully filling in the gaps. Of course, foremost among the gaps is the question, "Why are we doing this?" This is closely followed by "Why would one operating system be preferred over another?" and related questions to that, "What should an operating system do and not do?"

And, of course "Why Linux?" and "Which Linux?" Stay tuned.

[Moonlight]

Now I suggest you stab the button "Try Ubuntu." This will actually boot Ubuntu up on your computer so you can see it before it's ever installed. And then you can use Ubuntu to install Ubuntu. This is good because you can play Aisle Riot Solitaire while it installs instead of searching for navel lint. It's a much more constructive activity. So push Try Ubuntu now.
Choices, choices, choices! The disk boots up and gives you a choice:
@Rockin Robbins, where do I sign up to your fan club :D
This is the best post I've ever had the pleasure of reading in the GT section, how do you recommend it for a post of the year award? :hmmm:
I've got up to this part today, tomorrow I'll install it, I'm not going to try it out as I need another OS anyway.
If I can do this it should be a piece of cake for the rest of you.:yep: :up:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Workspace%201_060_zpsoxnetrrs.jpg

[Commander Wallace]

@Rockin Robbins, where do I sign up to your fan club :D
This is the best post I've ever had the pleasure of reading in the GT section, how do you recommend it for a post of the year award? :hmmm:
I've got up to this part today, tomorrow I'll install it, I'm not going to try it out as I need another OS anyway.
If I can do this it should be a piece of cake for the rest of you.:yep: :up:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Workspace%201_060_zpsoxnetrrs.jpg

Rockin Robbins covered this very well as you have said. He has been carrying the banner for alternative operating systems along with a number of others for some time now. The best part of Linux based Distros is that you can tailor how it works to reskinning it to look like a more familiar Microsoft windows application.

One of the nice things about Ubunto and Linux Distros is they can be booted from using a disc or flash drive without actually installing the system. This will enable one to " try out " the distro without actually installing it. As Rockin Robbins has pointed out, It's not advisable to install two operating systems on the same hard drive as that can complicate doing a system recovery/ partition if there is a virus issue that can't be resolved. It's especially bad if one tries to partition the hard drive and install a Microsoft based windows application and Linux as it's inevitable that the Microsoft windows operating system will disable the Linux application.

As mentioned, other browsers like Mozilla and chrome work fine with it. There is also Office programs to work with it as well. The issue remains working with other apps to determine how well they work with Linux.

In talking with Rockin Robbins, he has detailed that he has it working with Silent Hunter 4. Further, Rockin Robbins has detailed issues with getting Linux to play nice with Silent Hunter 3. The Wine component was meant to create an interface of sorts to enable Linux to work with Microsoft applications.

In 1997, Microsoft was in court on Anti Trust litigation regarding the monopoly Microsoft had with software originating from other companies being able to work with Microsoft operating systems. Very little has changed in the intervening years.

Since Silent Hunter 3 is still a viable simulation 11 years after introduction and many Subsim members and I'm sure others are still playing it. Getting Linux to work with SH3 is still a priority. If a work around is found, I'm sure it will have applications to other games of that era as well.

[Rockin Robbins]

Okay, so we've charged into this "install Ubuntu" thing and we haven't even visited what we are basically doing and why we want to do it. I know Moonlight knows, but others reading the thread are probably saying "Big deal!"

My opinion is that trends in the Microsoft Corporation ethically and functionally have limited the future of Windows to the point where we're in danger of losing the use of Windows as our operating system. So, what's wrong with Microsoft right now?


Microsoft no longer looks to Windows and PC software as its major business. Their future plans are to gain the majority of their income from subscription cloud services. You already rent Microsoft Office. That's only the beginning. We, the users of Windows, are no longer the focus of their existence. As you will see, they no longer deserve to be the focus of ours.
Microsoft has been showing moral lapses of staggering proportions. If you are using Windows 10, you have given them the right to access every file on your system. You have given them the right to delete any file on your system for any reason they see fit. You have given them the right to collect any data they want, including confidential commercial secrets, to package and send it to Microsoft and they are doing this twice daily at your expense. What are they doing with the "data" they collect? They don't say.
An operating system used to be a servant, sitting in the background, quietly helping you to run and organize the software and data on your machine. Microsoft has turned that into a tertiary function. The primary function of Windows 10 is to advertise stuff to you. Half of the tiles of the facetiously named "start menu" are advertisements, trying to sell you stuff. The secondary function of Windows 10 is collecting your personal information so they can target you more appropriately for the primary function of Windows 10: selling you stuff. In the pursuit of collecting your data you have given Microsoft rights to every single bit of information on your machine to do with whatever they choose without even notifying you. I think that is abusive and I won't stand for it. Windows 10 will never live on any machine I ever own. For those of you who would say "Google does the same thing with Android" I say no! They do not do any such thing. You can go into your preferences and shut off data collection and targeted ads any time you wish. You will still receive ads but they won't be based on your personal information. Windows gives you no such choices.
During the last two months of the "free Windows 10 upgrade" fiasco, Microsoft was invading your system, resetting your upgrade preferences ONCE PER HOUR! and actually starting the upgrade process, which could only be exited by pressing the x in the upper right corner of the upgrade window.
During the last month, in order to be sure you knew they could care less about what you want for your system, they redefined that "close window" x to mean "slime me with Windows 10." They took a rule established for over 20 years of consistent use and trashed it just so they could trick you into doing their thing on your property.
So we know that Microsoft cannot be trusted. We know they do not feel your computer is your property and they will do with it as they please. If you work for a company which has confidential information in their system, that information is not confidential. Microsoft has it. Therefore your system is not and cannot be made secure.
The "update" process is totally in Microsoft's control now. You are not advised and you cannot refuse to accept "upgrades" no matter what the consequences. Many businesses have software that will not function in Windows 10. Microsoft says "tough toenails."
Having seen this conduct by Microsoft, knowing that they do not see us as the focus of their company any more we know that Microsoft is an untrustworthy company. Their conduct has been an abomination. We don't have to put up with that.

What's right about Linux? Why is it better than Windows?


Linux is quite like Android for your cell phone. In fact, Android has Linux at its core, so you are already using Linux and the world has not ended. You already know there's nothing to be afraid of.
Linux is not a commercial product. Commercial companies support Linux, but they are not the source of Linux' ethics and morals. When companies step out of line, the Linux community steps down on offending companies and they do it HARD.
The whole moral concept of Linux is that your hardware is your property. You have the sole unquestioned right to decide what will live on it and how it will behave. User choice is the mantra of Linux. Service to users it's golden rule.
Linux is secure. Any process wanting to make system changes gets a pop-up requiring administrative identity and password. If it fails, it gets the shaft. You yourself are not an administrator, except for that time when you log in that way to do administrative tasks. The system to do that is much smoother than Windows'.
The operating system and just about all software is free. That doesn't mean it's poor quality. Chrome, Firefox, Open Office, Libre Office, Thunderbird, Inkscape, Keypass 2, Virtual Box, GIMP, VLC media player are all refugees from the Linux universe, where lots of other similarly excellent software lives for free: Gparted partition editor, Rhythmbox music player, Aisleriot solitaire, Boot-repair and others are waiting for you to discover.
All this software lives in curated, virus-proofed Linux repositories, where you just pick it out and download. You know, it's existed for 30 years and the Windows Store is just now copying and warping the idea into laughable idiocy. Well, in Linux it's genius.
The update process: when you start Linux, Update-manager pops up like a butler. "You have 14 system updates and 30 programs that need updating, okay?" You say "okay" and Linux updates your operating system and EVERY PROGRAM ON YOUR MACHINE in the background while you go back to work. You NEVER have to reboot the system unless you have a kernel update and then you don't have to reboot. You can just wait until you restart your machine in the morning.
Linux is MUCH more stable than Windows. It's not rare for a Linux machine to have run for over a year without ever requiring a reboot or a shutdown. It's a reliability that you can just take for granted.
Linux OWNS the Internet. The vast majority of Internet servers are Linux for security, reliability and user configurability, all vastly superior to anything Microsoft offers.
Linux is completely cool! I had a client take me his laptop telling me it was slower than molasses. Of course I did malware scans but came up empty. Then the next thing I did was stick an Ubuntu Live CD into the optical drive and start it up. The text on booting immediately said "CPU running hot. Throttling back to avoid overheating." Shazaam! Problem solved. We cleaned out the cooling passages in the laptop and Linux had a new user. Linux solved the man's problem before it even started up!

Steam has tossed in the towel on working with Microsoft after Windows 8. Steam hardware is Linux hardware. That means that games either work with Linux or will work with Linux. Steam IS PC games. Gaming is moving toward Linux. Who buys more games? A person who bought Windows for $100 or a person with $100 in his pocket because Linux is free? Steam wants that $100.


Linux has a subsystem called WINE, which is a collection of Windows APIs that allow Windows programs to run natively in Linux. Apple, whose OSX is also built on a Linux bedrock core, also has a version of WINE to run Windows programs on Apple machines. Silent Hunter 4 runs magnificently in WINE under Linux. Silent Hunter 3 has been a bit more of a problem, but since Amazon has a downloadable SH3 which doesn't have the DRM, we can still get it to run. I don't know and don't want to know about SH5. I have no interest in that game at all.


Now let's get just a bit technical. One option you get while installing Linux is to shrink the partition Windows is on and install Linux on the same hard drive with Windows. I'm going to tell you that is a bad idea. Windows refuses to have anything to do with Linux. Suppose you start of with a 500GB hard drive and divide it in half. Windows will report you have a 250GB hard drive with 250GB of unformatted space! If you have a problem with Windows and do a repair with your Windows Repair Disk, Windows will set your computer to boot to Windows only and leave Linux unusable and unfindable! Microsoft could care less what your preferences for your property are.


Linux, however, reads and writes to Windows partitions better, quicker, more smoothly, more securely than Windows does. Start up your file manager while running Linux and it will show every partition on every hard drive, whether Windows or Linux without prejudice. Linux never forgets your computer is your sovereign property.


So what is the best way to install Linux on a dual boot system? Install Linux to a separate hard drive and set your system to boot that hard drive. While you are installing Linux, it will automatically sense your Windows drive and put it in your GRUB startup menu to allow you to choose Windows or Linux on startup. This respect for your preferences is all default and you don't have to override anything for it to happen. What should be expected is a very pleasant surprise.


Now you have a Windows disk that is totally untouched. You can run Windows restore routines all you want and it won't touch Linux. It will politely ignore it. Boot the Windows disk and it will start as if Linux didn't exist. Boot the Linux disk and you get a menu letting you choose to boot Windows or Linux. Having the two operating systems on two separate disks allows you to be king of your castle.


We'll have a complete post on the different Graphical User Interfaces for Linux. You're free to choose, even switch between them at will! And if you're a Windows user your mind can't comprehend what having different GUIs means to your ability to use a computer as you deserve to. Stay tuned for that post!

[BarracudaUAK]

...

Linux has a subsystem called WINE, which is a collection of Windows APIs that allow Windows programs to run natively in Linux. Apple, whose OSX is also built on a Linux bedrock core, also has a version of WINE to run Windows programs on Apple machines.


Silent Hunter 4 runs magnificently in WINE under Linux.

Silent Hunter 3 has been a bit more of a problem, but since Amazon has a downloadable SH3 which doesn't have the DRM, we can still get it to run.
...


I thought I would comment on this part of RR's post, as I've been running both SH3 and SH4 on Linux for a while...

First, WINE versions: 1.X.Y
If "X" is an EVEN number, it is a "stable" or bugfix only version.
If "X" is an ODD number, it is a "staging" version. This is the one that they are adding new "stuff" to, such as the ability to run a game requiring a newer DirectX version.
"Y" is simply which "minor" version you have, higher number is newer.

As RR and I have commented in other threads (way too many other threads... although, relevant to the topic at hand)...

Ubuntu is currently (as of RR's post) on WINE 1.6.2, which means it's a stable version.

In comparison, I run Fedora, which as of this post the WINE version available is 1.9.20.
Which if you notice the "9", means it's a "staging" version (I'm running 1.9.17).

The Current stable, on the WINE website, is 1.8.5.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is currently using the 1.8.x version(s)

So to put all of this info into perspective and "plain language".

If you look at my "version" description above, there are "staging" and "stable"...
1.5 was a "staging", 1.6 is the "debugged" version of 1.5, nothing new, just fixing problems that came up with 1.5.

1.7 is a staging, finished last year (2015), was 17 months of development (https://www.winehq.org/news/25 scroll down to "1.8.0 released").
1.8 is again a "debugged" version...
Now 1.7 gets the same fixes to 1.5 code, as did 1.6. but 1.7 was adding new stuff.

Same goes for 1.9, once they are finished adding, then they will start on debugging it.
They do debugging as they go, but it's more in depth with a stable version.


THE POINT:
I ran SH3 from 1.7.30/31/32 (I forget) from Oct/Nov 2014, to 1.7.55, and only had trouble one time (1.7.40 The water wasn't semi-transparent, it was solid, flat black. I could see underwater, or above it, but I couldn't look through my periscope with it underwater and see the ships cruising by above water).
But SH3 ran fine otherwise.

SH3 has run fine on 1.9 since I updated to a newer Fedora on my new 8core.

For SH4, I'm running the Steam version, and as I posted here, http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=227058 has been running good.
I only had trouble with 1 version, but I had trouble with most of my steam games with that one.

I've also run newer games, I have played the DX11 update to Red Faction: Guerrilla and it looked and ran fantastic.

I mention all of this, for the following reason.
Some "distros" are easier to use if you are unsure how to "use" (that is do... anything) in Linux. These are good for beginners.

Other "distros" are running newer versions of software. But may suffer from "regressions" (it worked before, but doesn't now). They are also a "moving target".

Others are geared for "Business" (RHEL) and are "newer, but don't break anything" types. Simply because, "downtime" is expensive.

WINE has many/most older games covered. But I'm still waiting on the WINE that runs Fallout 4. :doh:

Barracuda

P.S. I'm running on little sleep. I tried to make this as simple as I could...

[Eichhörnchen]

I'm reading all this with renewed interest after an enforced (and massively protracted) Windows 10 update yesterday left me with a computer almost crippled: everything's loading very slowly now.

I do get all that stuff about prioritising Linux using the partitions, too... I had been beginning to consider partitioning my PC with a reinstalled Windows 8, only that would probably only be buying me some time before an inevitable compulsory upgrade.

Now I'm more and more interested in Linux or Ubuntu. BUT... if I start running my website on one of these platforms, will it affect communication with customers who are using Windows? Dumb question, maybe, but as I told CW the other day, I'm not a techno.

[Rockin Robbins]

I do get all that stuff about prioritising Linux using the partitions, too... I had been beginning to consider partitioning my PC with a reinstalled Windows 8, only that would probably only be buying me some time before an inevitable compulsory upgrade.

Now I'm more and more interested in Linux or Ubuntu. BUT... if I start running my website on one of these platforms, will it affect communication with customers who are using Windows? Dumb question, maybe, but as I told CW the other day, I'm not a techno.
Actually, prioritizing is not what we're doing. We're isolating Windows on its own hard drive, as it refuses to play well with others! For all the kumbaya singing in the "Marriage of Windows and Linux" thread, there is no marriage, there is no kumbaya. Windows is only in the embrace mode of their overall strategy of "embrace, extend, and extinguish."

First they embrace an existing technology. Everybody sing kumbaya! Then they extend the technology so their version does things the others don't, breaking the Internet in the case of Internet Exploder. Suddenly the technology only works on Microsoft stuff and that extinguishes the originators of the technology. But note that didn't work with IE. It also won't work with Linux. We know full well who we don't deal with. They can pretend to embrace us all they want but it's a sham and they know it.

So on your own computer, it is best to quarantine Windows onto a hard drive all to itself. Boot the Linux disk. Let Linux give you the choice of running Windows or Linux. That leaves Windows a victim of its own shortsighted policy of not playing well with others and it is blind to the fact that Linux exists on your machine.


But your second question is the absolute best that could be asked! Did you know that the vast majority of websites you access are being hosted on a Linux server? That includes Steam, Photobucket, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Subsim were hosted on a Linux machine. The Internet could not give a rip what operating system you use.

Even Silent Hunter 4 doesn't care what operating system you use. Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate Edition is being created on my Linux computer. Other team members have Windows computers. Their work can be loaded on my machine, I can compile the mod, 7zip it and post it and every Windows machine runs the mod just fine.

Take it another step. Many programs: Firefox, Chrome and Chromium, Thunderbird, Inkscape, Keepass, Open Office, Libre Office and many others actually came from Linux. Linux is their home. Windows is a place they visit. This post comes from Firefox on Ubuntu 16.04. Everything I do is identical to what I do with Firefox in Windows. THERE IS NO LEARNING CURVE. It does run considerably faster in Linux than it does in Windows. Ubuntu takes no clock cycles serving me advertisements or collecting, encoding and sending my information to Microsoft.

Is it perfect? Heck no. But it does recognize that my computer is my property and that I use Linux because it serves my needs. Therefore Linux respects my status as in charge of my property and exists to serve me. And not for lunch, as Microsoft defines serving.

[aanker]

Good place to jump in and say 'Thank You' for writing this Topic Mister.

In reading the tea leaves, and handwriting on the wall, Linux is the future for me once this Win 7 computer reaches its eol.

[Commander Wallace]

I'm reading all this with renewed interest after an enforced (and massively protracted) Windows 10 update yesterday left me with a computer almost crippled: everything's loading very slowly now.

I do get all that stuff about prioritising Linux using the partitions, too... I had been beginning to consider partitioning my PC with a reinstalled Windows 8, only that would probably only be buying me some time before an inevitable compulsory upgrade.

Now I'm more and more interested in Linux or Ubuntu. BUT... if I start running my website on one of these platforms, will it affect communication with customers who are using Windows? Dumb question, maybe, but as I told CW the other day, I'm not a techno.

Another thing to keep in mind Eichhörnchen is that there are also 32 bit versions of Ubunto and Linux which makes it an ideal replacement for a single core computer that used Microsoft Windows XP or below. This 32 bit Linux distros are also fully supported, which windows XP isn't. The 32 bit systems have the advantage of being light on resources like memory. As you know, we are here to help or answer any questions that may come up.

Good place to jump in and say 'Thank You' for writing this Topic Mister.

In reading the tea leaves, and handwriting on the wall, Linux is the future for me once this Win 7 computer reaches its eol.

Windows 7 was very well received and many of our forum members like Windows 7 above the other offerings from Microsoft. The problem is, Microsoft is sneaking spyware / Malware into those older applications like Windows 7 as well.

As mentioned to Eichhörnchen, one can buy a single core Computer and install a 32 bit version of these systems to try them out while still using your Windows 7 or other systems. As mentioned, these systems are fully supported.

[mapuc]

I still have my old Vista computer, sooo.... why not try to download and install Ubuntu Linux on this oldies

Markus

[Onkel Neal]

Subscribed :Kaleun_Salute:

[Rockin Robbins]

I still have my old Vista computer, sooo.... why not try to download and install Ubuntu Linux on this oldies

Markus
You bring up one of the finest uses of Linux. Running the same program in Linux and Windows, you'll find it will run twice as fast in Linux. I took a Windows XP laptop that a friend found was just too slow and gave it to me. Off came Windows XP and on went Lubuntu, the LXDE based version of Ubuntu 32-bit. The computer is downright zippy! I take it to my astronomy club star parties and use it to crunch my cell phone images into some pretty stunning astrophotos.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Andromeda%20w%20black%20screens%20best%20copy_zpsm rtrlvo3.jpg

So Linux can turn a computer that's ready for the garbage into something useful!

[Commander Wallace]

I still have my old Vista computer, sooo.... why not try to download and install Ubuntu Linux on this oldies

Markus

Sounds like a good plan, Markus. Ubunto and Linux in the 32 bit version can give new life to older computers. However, If your computer was running Windows Vista, Chances are, it's a dual core unit at least and if so, is running a 64 bit operating system.Pull up system information on your computer and check your system specifications.

If your system is a 64 bit operating system, then look for the corresponding 64 bit version of Linux or Ubunto. Windows Vista was the forerunner for Windows 7 but Vista was a resource hungry system and support for it ended before it did for windows XP, which Vista replaced. This should tell everyone that Microsoft thought Vista was terrible.


You can also look into the fedora operating system. Keep in mind, these systems can be tailored to suit your needs and you can re-skin Linux, Ubunto , Fedora or other Linux based systems to look like your favorite Windows operating system.

[mapuc]

Sounds like a good plan, Markus. Ubunto and Linux in the 32 bit version can give new life to older computers. However, If your computer was running Windows Vista, Chances are, it's a dual core unit at least and if so, is running a 64 bit operating system.Pull up system information on your computer and check your system specifications.

If your system is a 64 bit operating system, then look for the corresponding 64 bit version of Linux or Ubunto. Windows Vista was the forerunner for Windows 7 but Vista was a resource hungry system and support for it ended before it did for windows XP, which Vista replaced. This should tell everyone that Microsoft thought Vista was terrible.


You can also look into the fedora operating system. Keep in mind, these systems can be tailored to suit your needs and you can re-skin Linux, Ubunto , Fedora or other Linux based systems to look like your favorite Windows operating system.

Thank you for your answers to my former comments

My older computer was a 32 bits Vista home basic.
Can't remember what else it had beside the chipset family(I think is the name of the graphic card was)

Edit:
I was thinking of replace my old Vista with Ubuntu Linux all the way, so after the re-install there will be no more Vista.

Markus

[Commander Wallace]

Thank you for your answers to my former comments

My older computer was a 32 bits Vista home basic.
Can't remember what else it had beside the chipset family(I think is the name of the graphic card was)

Markus

As always, you are more than welcome Markus. 64 bit Vista is more common I think than the 32 bit version so I wasn't sure which version you had.

Let us know if you have problems downloading and burning the new operating system as well as loading it in your computer or if you need assistance.

If all goes well and I'm sure it will, let us know what your thoughts are regarding your new operating system.

Edit. Before you do anything, create a bootable recovery disc of windows vista on your old machine before formatting your hard drive in preparation for the Linux Installation although I'm sure after using Linux, you will never go back to Vista. This is just covering your bases.

[BarracudaUAK]

...

My older computer was a 32 bits Vista home basic.
Can't remember what else it had beside the chipset family(I think is the name of the graphic card was)

...

Markus

I noticed your comment, and I thought I should mention...

Just because your OS was 32bit, does not mean that your PC was also.

My mother purchased a pre-built PC, with Vista 32bit. But, the System was a AMD Athlon x2 4400 64bit.

Every time I checked on Windows, the 64bit was always slightly more expensive than the 32bit.
Biggest issue I noted was most people were having trouble with 32bit programs on a 64bit version of Windows. Might have been the same situation with your older Vista PC.
They chose the less costly, more compatible route, rather than the newest route.

The BIOS should tell you when it "POST" at start up what kind of processor is on the board. Although not all boards are really detailed in that regard.
Most however, do tell you IN the BIOS what kind of Processor you have, MHZ, etc.

So far any Linux version I've tried, Fedora, Ubuntu, Knoppix, to name a few, will tell me what kind of Processor I have.
If you actually have a 32bit CPU, and you get the 64bit Version of your chosen Linux Distro, it will tell you if you have a 32bit CPU.
The reverse is also true.
I haven't seen a 32bit processor for sale anywhere since before I built my 5600 X2, around 8 years ago.
(About the time the AMD Phenom was about to be released, or just had been, I'm not entirely sure of the year anymore.)



Just a few thoughts...

Barracuda UAK

[mapuc]

^Thank you for your comment

My former, my oldie is from 2010

It's a Parkard Bell computer

Haven't had it turned on for weeks, but i remember my graphic was something with Chipset family 64 Mb(on the front it says "Intel Celeron inside) and with 4 GB RAM, 320 GB HDD.

First I will find out what's really inside(have to find out how to) The information I will post in this thread.

Second I'm going to read the first 3-5 post in this thread. Then I'm going to take notes. When I Think I'm ready. I'll install Ubuntu Linux.

Markus

[Commander Wallace]

^Thank you for your comment

My former, my oldie is from 2010

It's a Parkard Bell computer

Haven't had it turned on for weeks, but i remember my graphic was something with Chipset family 64 Mb(on the front it says "Intel Celeron inside) and with 4 GB RAM, 320 GB HDD.

First I will find out what's really inside(have to find out how to) The information I will post in this thread.

Second I'm going to read the first 3-5 post in this thread. Then I'm going to take notes. When I Think I'm ready. I'll install Ubuntu Linux.

Markus

Markus, I know most games like SH3 specify using either an Intel 4 pentium or AMD CPU. I think the Celeron chipset, although it's not as good as either of the 2 I mentioned, will work.

If the graphics section is listing 64MB, it's intergrated video. To use it for SH3 and above, find out if you have an AGP, PcI or PcI express video card slot. SH3 can be played on a 128 Mb video card but nothing lower than that. A card in the 512 Mb can be had for $ 30 and above.

Once you have the card Markus you need :

1) Go into the BIOS and disable the onboard graphics.

2) turn off your computer and install your video card.

3) if your new card comes with a CD, install it and follow the instructions.

4) if you don't get a CD, go online to the video card manufacturer and download any updates for the video card.

At that point, you should be ready to enjoy your games.

[BarracudaUAK]

...
First I will find out what's really inside(have to find out how to) The information I will post in this thread.
...


Always helpful when we are trying to assist "over the net"...




...

It's a Parkard Bell computer

Haven't had it turned on for weeks, but i remember my graphic was something with Chipset family 64 Mb(on the front it says "Intel Celeron inside) and with 4 GB RAM, 320 GB HDD.
...




...

If the graphics section is listing 64MB, it's intergrated video. To use it for SH3 and above, find out if you have an AGP, PcI or PcI express video card slot. SH3 can be played on a 128 Mb video card but nothing lower than that. A card in the 512 Mb can be had for $ 30 and above.

Once you have the card Markus you need :

1) Go into the BIOS and disable the onboard graphics.

2) turn off your computer and install your video card.

3) if your new card comes with a CD, install it and follow the instructions.

4) if you don't get a CD, go online to the video card manufacturer and download any updates for the video card.

At that point, you should be ready to enjoy your games.

This is primarily directed at Commander Wallace's post, but is for mapuc's benefit....

If we are viewing this from strictly a "Linux" perspective...
We have 2 options here...

Operating under the assumption that it is indeed an integrated card. (I'm not saying it isn't.)
It's either an ATI/AMD GPU, or an Nvidia GPU.

If it is an ATI/AMD GPU, then the "Radeon" or "Gallium" open source driver will work, and is included when you install Linux.

The Older ATI/AMD 'Catalyst' or 'Crimson' drivers that would work with that card, will not handle the newest "X.org" (the part that actually "draws" your GUI/Desktop), and I doubt it will work with the newer Kernel(s) (the part that is "Linux").
The "New" drivers from AMD ("AMDGPU-PRO"), only start at the R7 (200 or 300 depending on which source I reference), and work with the R9 and the new RX 480X.
All the older cards are handled by the "Radeon" open source driver.
This Link is me helping Sublynx sort out getting SH3 running "better" on his Linux Mint install... Goes into a bit more "depth" about the drivers. Not a "must read", an example of someone that has "been there" before.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=195484

If it is an Nvidia, then the open source driver isn't as good. (Last I heard, Nvidia doesn't help the open source driver devs. This may have changed.)
The good thing is that Nvidia's Proprietary Linux drivers are very good.

In that case you will need to download and install the driver from Nvidia's web site.
From attempting to install the Driver on another PC for someone else (in Fedora), you have to drop to the command line to install it. (or at least, you did a few years ago.)

You may also be able to increase the amount of RAM allocated to the Video, this will vary by board.

I built a AM3 socket Based dual-core 2.8GHZ, with an integrated AMD HD4200.
Default was 64/128MB of RAM allocated to the Video, but we could select to increase it up to 512MB in the BIOS. At the time, that PC was also running 4 GB of RAM.
Check the BIOS and see what you can do with it.

If you opt to get a card, and install it to replace the integrated (and free up the RAM), then install Linux after you get the card, that way it will install the drivers for you.

Just a few thoughts on the conversation here...

Barracuda

[Commander Wallace]

Thanks BarracudaUAK for the more detailed description. I was keeping things as simple as I could so as not to add to any confusion. Your analysis goes further and provides valuable information and tips into pulling everything together. Like a number of our forum members, you have built your own computers to the specifications you like so you know what's available.

Thanks again for your input and insight.

[BarracudaUAK]

Simple is always good.:up:

I only mentioned the driver issues given the driver "situations" that have occurred recently.


So any would know "what they are getting in to" before they choose a new card.

In my case, I knew that Catalyst/Crimson didn't play well with Fedora. BUT I DID IT ANYWAY! :D:arrgh!::yeah:

(although, I didn't have any trouble, even crossfire works. But that is another story, for another time.)
All is well so far, just waiting for the new drivers to get out of "beta"...

Barracuda

[mapuc]

For your information the graphic card on my former computer is integrated into/with the motherboard

Markus

[Rockin Robbins]

Well, I decided with the publication of Ubuntu 16.10 that I wanted to go with a fresh install on the 500GB hard drive I got from Jeff-Groves (thank you Jeff! WB Black drive. Industrial strength!)

Then I thought how far behind that would put me. Too bad, you need to go with a fresh install every once in awhile. I still have my old install on another drive so I can steal stuff as needed to speed things up....it was time to go for it, even if it meant a pause in posting here.

Then I realized I didn't have a problem, I had the opportunity to show what the very next steps are after installing Ubuntu. Because I was actually doing it I could record what I did and make a better tutorial. Rebuilding from scratch wasn't a bug it was a FEATURE!

So here we are with a newly installed copy of Ubuntu 16.10 installed and a blank desktop. Just ignore that icon for SH4 on the desktop. It isn't there yet! Actually I took the screenshot too late.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Install%20Ubuntu%20on%20Moonlights%20Computer/Workspace%201_004_zpsnveu3r6r.jpg

Now, how you install software into Ubuntu is a bit different from what you're used to. Yes, you can still download from the Internet at the software developer's website but largely that is completely unnecessary because Linux software, being free, is free :03: to all live together in a great big dormatory we call a repository.

A repository is a big bucket of curated (it's evaluated for functionality, safety, being presently maintained by its publisher) and certified virus and malware free software. Each individual software is provided in the form of a package, and we install them with package managers. The one that comes with Ubuntu as default is the Ubuntu Software Store. It works.

But my favorite is Synaptic Package Manager. I use Ubuntu Software Store to install Synaptic Package Manager the same way you might use Internet Exploder (booooo! Booooo!) to install Firefox or Chrome and then never touch it again. Now one of the first things I did with Synaptic Package Manager was to install VLC Media Player and Shutter screenshot tool. And here's a surprise addition from Neal!
https://youtu.be/ZsPtcaAio6I

A couple of things I'm not satisfied with are volume control between video and music. I'll fix that by recording the video separately, voice and bgmusic and mixing them in the OpenShot Video Editor before I upload the finished product into You Tube. I'll use the ad-free music from You Tube, but instead of letting You Tube mix it badly I'll do it myself and hope You Tube doesn't immediately tag it for a copyright violation. You never know with those crazy people.

The bottom line is I need to do work on some video to add the audio and it will take awhile. Therefore we'll stop here for now and wait until I have worthwhile videos that will stand the test of time and not just say "see what RR did in fifteen minutes!" More to come.

Be sure to thank Neal for letting us embed video. Please don't quote embedded videos and please don't abuse the privilege of being able to post videos directly into Subsim.

[Rockin Robbins]

Now that we've gotten our feet wet with learning how software is installed in Ubuntu Linux, we have to remember why we're doing all this. We were.........ummmm........oh yeah, installing Silent Hunter 4 in Ubuntu. Well, Ubuntu comes with a program called WINE, which stands for Wine Is Not an Emulator. It's not a virtual machine either, it's a way to run Windows programs natively inside Linux. WINE is much quicker than a virtual machine or an emulator like DOSBox.

So get out your game DVD and slide it into the drive. Start up the Nautilus file manager and follow the bouncing ball in this video!
https://youtu.be/eMXgJOJASxI

If you have the SH4 Gold version you're done for now. If you have the original Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific version, like I have, you still have to install U-Boat Missions. In either case DO NOT RUN THE GAME YET! We have stuff to do!

Did I say thank you Neal for letting us embed videos in our posts? YEAH!!!!!! Imagine how much longer this post would be if I had to do it with screenshots instead of video.

Coming up next: installing U-Boat Missions, JSGME, MultiSH4 and Large Address Aware, then how to make an SH4 Pristeen directory so you never have to reinstall SH4 again!

[Rockin Robbins]

Videos are taken, sound not mixed for installing U-Boat Missions, JSGME, MultiSH4 and Large Address Aware, then how to make an SH4 Pristeen directory so you never have to reinstall SH4 again! I'm working on my primary project, Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate Edition and hope to have the new version published by Monday, when I can go back to this thread.

Why does the mod get precedence over this thread? Too many modders and mod teams have made grandiose announcements and then come up with nothing. I suspect that distractions have a lot to do with that typical outcome. FOTRS Ultimate Edition isn't going to be typical. I wasn't qualified to start the project, but I sure am qualified to finish it. And if I'm not, we have one of the greatest teams ever assembled who won't let me give up!:har::har::har:

[aanker]

Great tutorial RR, thanks! One question (originally posted on YouTube, moved to here):

Since Silent Hunter 4: Wolves of the Pacific v.1.0 was 'already registered' (as you said), did you need to enter the key in this v.1.0 install demo, or does that step come while installing 'already registered' UBM?

Was that step omitted because this is a demonstration or is it completely unnecessary now due to v.1.5?

Although I also have the 'Gold' DVD as a backup, I've never opened the box. I've only used my original v.1.0 D2D and v.1.5 D2D downloads and haven't had to re-install since installing them years ago.

Does anyone know?

[Rockin Robbins]

So long as you don't play the install from the original disk you don't have to register it. You can wait until after you install UBM and then do the registration, which covers the entire installation.

You'll see the registration in the next video.

[Rockin Robbins]

Well, let's install U-Boat Missions. Remember we didn't start up the game because we want to be absolutely sure that we have purely stock game files when we're done. Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, I downloaded U-boat Missions from Direct2Drive, through the Subsim link (of course). I burned that installation file to a CD and placed that CD in the game box for Silent Hunter for safekeeping. Then I wrote my registration number on the CD while it was sealed inside the box.........something like that.

So what I have done here is put the CD in the disk drive and found the installation file using Ubuntu's (actually GNOME's) Nautilus file manager. We join our action, in progress....
https://youtu.be/WZfCNuWnw-I

Remember: don't play the game yet. We want to register, install JSGME, MultiSH4 and Large Address Aware, then copy the unplayed, completely stock game to a lock box where we can renew the game forever without ever having to reinstall SH4 again. Next, registering this puppy!

[Rockin Robbins]

All right! Let's register Silent Hunter 4: U-boat Missions. We didn't register it before because we wanted to do the whole shebang at once. Now that Wolves of the Pacific and U-boat Missions are joined and ready to play, lets go ahead and register them.

I show you that I forgot a step. Right-click your desktop link to the game and connect it to sh4.exe, NOT gu.exe. Gu.exe causes mucho problems, especially with heavily modded games. Make it walk the plank!:arrgh!:

Then we show how to make a lockbox for your pristeen game installation, with all the unmodified files you need when you get diagnosed with a good dose of mod soup. Yes you can just reinstall the game but with your SH4 Pristeen directory you'll never have to reinstall SH4:UBM again! Ever.

Of course after you make a lockbox, you have to lock it. I show how to lock it much more securely than Windows is capable of.

https://youtu.be/TvDBdCBb7yM

When you're done, STILL DON'T PLAY THE GAME!

Next, we have to make an installation for FOTRS Ultimate and GFO. Other supermods would work the same. Then we have to enable Large Address Aware for each installation, enable JSGME and use MultiSH4 to make each installation save its games in a different directory. Coming soon to a thread near you!

[Commander Wallace]

Way to go Rockin Robbins on your SH4 / Linux Installments. :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[Rockin Robbins]

Way to go Rockin Robbins on your SH4 / Linux Installments. :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

Thank you! We're experiencing a hold in the countdown right now. FOTRS Ultimate, harsh mistress that she is, experienced turbulence that required manual control and is just now getting to a spot where I can spend more time with this thread again.

Don't worry, we'll be back underway shortly!

[Rockin Robbins]

Just checking in. FOTRS Ultimate is just going crazy right now with essential changes that will make it the new default mod choice for Silent Hunter 4. So it has priority for now. In a couple days we will have v0.30 out, which will be our first public beta. Then we'll take a couple week break to gather feedback.

That will be my cue to come back here and complete the thread. I already have video shot for much of it. Need to do narration and music sound track and write the posts.

I'm also going to ask that the thread be stickied. I really think Linux is in the future for a lot of computer users, and they can continue to play Silent Hunter. All they need is instructions.

[Rockin Robbins]

Aaaaaaand we're back!:salute:

We just registered Silent Hunter 4, but we haven't played the game yet. Next we're going to show how to create separate game installs for each of your mod configurations. You might want one for stock, one for TMO and another for FOTRS Ultimate.

This will show how to have separate game installations for each mod configuration so you don't have to be installing and uninstalling mods all the time, mixing up what game save is for which configuration--you know--the stuff that makes you swear at the game instead of by it. We'll be leveraging our lockbox SH4 Pristeen installation to accomplish this. Get out the popcorn!
https://youtu.be/PcwZXE82wzA

[Rockin Robbins]

I am very busy rigging a TMO disaster here to make a remake of Titanic, except that we'll patch the holes and right the ship before it goes down. Then we'll resume our journey to New York. Stand by whilst I execute technical wizardry.....

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!

I kid you not, there is amazing stuff happening in the background. Please wait......

[Rockin Robbins]

Disaster strikes! You're playing your favorite supermod and suddenly the game crashes. Maybe a fluke? You restart the game and the same thing happens. Supply your own curse words here! But what are you going to do about it.

What if I told you you didn't have to reinstall jack diddley? What if I told you your savegames are safe? What if I told you in 10 minutes you'd load up your last saved game and just continue playing as if nothing bad were mocking you right now?

Words and a couple bucks will buy you coffee at Dennys. Let's get to work!
https://youtu.be/EE6xK6cHHKk

Questions?

[Rockin Robbins]

Next we'll return to Ubuntu Linux stuff. I was brainstorming with the help of propbeanie's questions and thought of a couple of videos.


Why Linux is better than Windows--don't give me the technical crap I don't care about!
How does Linux handle downloading software?
Getting help as a newbie Linux user. Since there is no company selling it, am I left on my own?
Commercial software vs(?) open source software. Can they work together? How do I download the commercial software I need?
You talk about choosing your GUI? What the heck does that mean? Why do I care?

I'm sure there are others that will have to be made. But my aim is to have enough information to allow you to explore Ubuntu Linux (and other distros) without feeling I dropped you in the middle of Red China and you don't know how to ask where the bathroom is.


As always, Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate comes first. Just reflect on the fact that all my development work for the mod happens in Ubuntu (pronounced 00-boon-too) Linux. It's pretty darned good and gets you away from the Microsoft games of redefining what an operating system is.


Stay tuned for more videos in the next several days.

[propbeanie]

They have really improved the updating in the last 10 years of Linux, haven't they? I remember buying a $40 book back when to help walk me through Red Hat whatever it was (2.x??!!!) - Wow! much nicer now. Easier than Apple and Android - combined! I stumbled upon it when I went looking for the hardware stuff, since my NIC wasn't "working", although it was. Didn't dawn on my to check that I'd put the Cat5e cable back in after pulling the side of the box to disconnect a couple drives for my install. I'm a "fail-safe" kind of guy - I usually fail, so I play it safe, and disconnect drives that I don't want to accidentally install to... Well, they have also improved that aspect of the install. No more "Device 0 on Port 0". I had given the "target" a new label in Windows prior to starting the install, and there was the label, plain as day, and a drop-down box menu for if I would have had the other drives connected. No problem.

One thing that is and has been way different with any version of Linux that I've ever used (as compared to Windows' way), and I think this is like my fifth one, is that even 10-12 years ago, you didn't have to tell it that you had connected a Windows drive next time you booted. I sees it, sees the boot record, and will add it (eventually, after it goes through the drive) to the boot menu for the next time you start the computer. Now, all I gotta do is figure out how to edit that "boot config" file... :lol: - I used to do everything from the command line, so this "desktop" stuff and Wine that actually works is really nice. It took maybe 30 minutes to get it installed on this beast, and another 30 now to re-connect the Windows drives, update and have the box all back together. In the meantime, I've gotten some cleaning done, and fixed lunch, sat down here to get on the web for a check-in, and all is hunky-dory. In a few minutes here, I'm off to watch me some RR vidz of SH4 installs... :salute:

Oh! Another thing Rockiin Robbins in your next video with the Gui choses, "Dual Screens and how to bend them to your will"... It boots up fine with the two screens, but now my left screen is my right screen, and the right is the left, which ain't no big deal, I mean it's easy enough to change 'em around in Windows and I'll just connect the cables the other way, but I can find nothing about doing that in Ubuntu, nor can I find my screen resolution settings. I know it's easy, 'cause I remember doing it before in the other flavors of Linux... but where / how?... :lol: :yeah:

[Rockin Robbins]

They have really improved the updating in the last 10 years of Linux, haven't they? I remember buying a $40 book back when to help walk me through Red Hat whatever it was (2.x??!!!) - Wow! much nicer now. Easier than Apple and Android - combined! I stumbled upon it when I went looking for the hardware stuff, since my NIC wasn't "working", although it was. Didn't dawn on my to check that I'd put the Cat5e cable back in after pulling the side of the box to disconnect a couple drives for my install. I'm a "fail-safe" kind of guy - I usually fail, so I play it safe, and disconnect drives that I don't want to accidentally install to... Well, they have also improved that aspect of the install. No more "Device 0 on Port 0". I had given the "target" a new label in Windows prior to starting the install, and there was the label, plain as day, and a drop-down box menu for if I would have had the other drives connected. No problem.

One thing that is and has been way different with any version of Linux that I've ever used (as compared to Windows' way), and I think this is like my fifth one, is that even 10-12 years ago, you didn't have to tell it that you had connected a Windows drive next time you booted. I sees it, sees the boot record, and will add it (eventually, after it goes through the drive) to the boot menu for the next time you start the computer. Now, all I gotta do is figure out how to edit that "boot config" file... :lol: - I used to do everything from the command line, so this "desktop" stuff and Wine that actually works is really nice. It took maybe 30 minutes to get it installed on this beast, and another 30 now to re-connect the Windows drives, update and have the box all back together. In the meantime, I've gotten some cleaning done, and fixed lunch, sat down here to get on the web for a check-in, and all is hunky-dory. In a few minutes here, I'm off to watch me some RR vidz of SH4 installs... :salute:

Oh! Another thing Rockiin Robbins in your next video with the Gui choses, "Dual Screens and how to bend them to your will"... It boots up fine with the two screens, but now my left screen is my right screen, and the right is the left, which ain't no big deal, I mean it's easy enough to change 'em around in Windows and I'll just connect the cables the other way, but I can find nothing about doing that in Ubuntu, nor can I find my screen resolution settings. I know it's easy, 'cause I remember doing it before in the other flavors of Linux... but where / how?... :lol: :yeah:
Wow! I haven't done dual monitors but I know it isn't hard. I'll do a little research.

Now the program that runs if you boot your Linux disk is GRand Unified Bootloader. GRUB. On installation Ubuntu looks at all connected disks and automatically adds Windows to GRUB so you have a choice to boot either one on bootup.

Now if you had the Windows disks disconnected from your computer when you installed Ubuntu I'll have to add another video to my list above! I'm a utility whore, always have been since my Apple ][ days. So Linux is no exception. There are many, many Ubuntu customization programs and live CDs. I'll play with it and give you a prescription tonight. If I'm especially ambitious it will be my next video. Always easier to show someone than give them instructions. But better is both so you can cut and paste to the terminal window.

One really cool thing with Ubuntu is that you can almost always do something from the command line and from the GUI. Each is valuable in learning what the other does. Especially cool is watching the terminal as a GUI operation executes.

Now that I've hopelessly baffled everybody I'll be going now.:D:D

[propbeanie]

"Settings Manager", under the "Hardware" section, "Display", and start noodling. I clicked on the "Identify Displays" button, and sure enough, I had them backwards... Imagine that. Windows 7 is fine now also, but poor old XP is having a ~FIT~! I cannot get it to agree with me.

[propbeanie]

I have a question... Creating a "shortcut", or an executable link in Ubuntu... It has changed from the graphical way I knew years ago, and I do not remember hardly a thing about doing it from the console... How can I make me some "desktop shortcuts" to my FotRS Ultimate, TMO and GFO installs?..,